This month, I'd like to share how I used Bright Spots to provide student feedback.

Sometimes the temptation is to tell kids only what they've done wrong. I felt like that is all I did when I gave feedback on students' writing.

But when I read their pieces, I'd think, "Wow! Look at that! That's really good!" I decided I needed to find a way to share that with the kids, but without killing myself to do it. So I came up with the idea of Bright Spots.

When I'm reading student writing, I keep a yellow highlighter handy. When I come across a great example of word choice, figurative language, a vivid verb, or some other outstanding work, I simply swipe the highlighter across it. Instant Bright Spot.

Once I explained what the highlighting was for, it was the first thing the kids looked for when I returned papers. They were so excited to see what they had done well.

I started keeping the yellow highlighter with me as I conferred with students so I could add a Bright Spot while they were looking. I used it when I walked around monitoring independent work. And then my students asked if they could use it when they conferred with peers. You bet I let them - I just had them use another color than yellow, so I could tell when the Bright Spot came from me.

I hope this is an idea you think you could try. It could work for any subject - a problem worked correctly in math, a great use of vocabulary in science or social studies. Let's celebrate what our students do well!

If you enjoyed this Bright Idea, please consider visiting my Teachers Pay Teachers store and joining me on Facebookwhere I share more great ideas.For more bright ideas from different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

Can you believe it is May? I think that May is one of the longest months of the school year. Summer is so close, yet so far away. I hope it goes quickly for you!

The beginning of the month means it's time for Farley's Currently! I love participating in this linky. It ensures I blog at least once every month LOL!

I am listening to Chopped. I love this show. It's fun to speculate what I might do with the basket ingredients and it exposes me to new foods I've never encountered before.

I am still loving this beautiful weather. It has turned sunny but not too hot - predicted to be only in the mid 80s this weekend. I wish we had weather like this year round.

I'm thinking about softball. This weekend we have our last home games of the season. Our UTSA Lady Roadrunners are playing very well. We are excited that one of the girls was selected in the National Pro Fastpitch draft.

I am wanting to finish a new product for my TpT store. I hope to get it done very soon. I'm slow when it comes to creating. LOL

I am needing to replace the doorbell. I guess it's a good thing we don't have many visitors since we probably wouldn't know they were at the door. Oops.

Summer: I am going to the TpT conference in Vegas, fo sho! I hope to make a road trip to Tulsa to see our San Antonio Stars play, and I wish I could take a trip on the Trans-Canadian railroad. Wouldn't that be fun?

Now go visit Farley's blog and check out the other posts this month! Don't forget the Rule of Three.